The National Rural Network of Türkiye is being expanded at the country level as the Common Agricultural Policy Network of Türkiye (CAP) under the Coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry within the scope of the 2023 Century of Türkiye.
The CAP Network, based on the understanding of trust, cooperation and learning together, is a structure that will work in cooperation with agricultural and rural development institutions and organizations, and all relevant stakeholders. In order to have an effective and sound performance of the Common Agricultural Policy Network of Türkiye (CAP) structure, a high-level Steering Committee (SC) has been established under the chairmanship of the IPARD Managing Authority and 26 Regional central provinces have been identified to cover 81 provinces.
In the period of 18th to 22nd September 2023, field activities were carried out in Mersin, which is one of the designated regional coordination provinces, regional coordination units were established and the story of change in the countryside has started to be written through the CAP network. During the programme in Mersin, all stakeholders and representatives of institutions and organizations related to agricultural policies were brought together in meetings where the structure, goals and objectives of the CAP Network were shared, and networks started to be formed. On the first day, the General Directorate of Agricultural Reform General, Managing Authority staff Ms. Aygül ERDOĞMUŞ and Project Expert Ms. Nazlı DENGİ visited Mr. Mustafa Nevzat ZAYIM, Deputy Provincial Director of Mersin Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and Mr. Kadir OKATAN, Deputy Governor of Mersin, at their offices and provided information about the establishment of CAP (NRN) Network regional coordination units. Upon the discussions conducted, Deputy Governor Mr. Kadir OKATAN stated that it would be appropriate for the coordination to be carried out by the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and that all the necessary support would be provided by the governorship.
The agenda of the first day was concluded by visiting the Provincial Coordination Unit of the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution and Mersin Alata Horticultural Research Institute Directorate (BKAEM) that are among the core group stakeholders, and information was provided about the activities carried out.
On the second and third days, core group and focus group meetings within the scope of Common Agricultural Policy Network structuring activities were performed with the participation of Mersin Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, Provincial Coordination Unit of the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution, Ministry of Interior Provincial Directorate of Civil Society Relations, Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Mersin Alata Horticultural Research Institute (BKAEM), and Mersin Regional Union of Agricultural Credit Cooperatives, and as a result of the meetings, roles were distributed for Mersin Regional Coordination unit ofCAP (NRN) Network .
On the fourth day, Akdeniz Municipality, Deputy Mayor, and Women and Family Services Directorate (with the participation of NATURELDER Chair), Mersin Sheep and Goat Breeders Association and Akdeniz Colourful Hands Women's Cooperative, Mersin Mother Earth Women Entrepreneurship Production Cooperative and Umut Entrepreneurs Production Cooperative were visited and informed about the project.
The institutions, organizations and stakeholders in the field of agriculture and rural development that were visited in Mersin within the scope of the structuring activities to cover 81 Provinces expressed that they would provide support by participating in the Common Agricultural Policy Network of Türkiye.